Tailoring group
On Friday 8 July 2022 JUC assistant director Mr. Pierre Nyandwi, SJ, made his way to CEFOTRAT TVET a vocational training school in Cyahafi slum to assess the progress being made by beneficiaries of the women empowerment program in the hairdressing and tailoring groups.
This second batch of women empowerment beneficiaries began their vocational training in March 2022 shortly after the 3rd phase of the project was launched. These selected beneficiaries of the program are women whose families were harshly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These are women who previously took care of their families through informal work such as street vending and who due to measures put in place by the Rwandan government to contain the spread of the virus, had to stay at home. This then resulting in hunger, loss of shelter and school dropouts for their family members. This program is meant to assist women led households be self sustainable by taking their families’ bread-winners through training in baking, tailoring or hairdressing.
The program was initially launched in 2020 where from May to July, JUC ran a program dubbed “Leave No-one Behind – Emergency Food Relief”. In this first phase of the project, JUC assisted 170 families from the slums of Nyabisindu, Nyagatovu and Cyahafi with food packages and money to cover rental arrears. During the 2nd phase of the program in November 2020 the centre selected 50 representatives of these families and took them through vocational training in what was dubbed “Long Walk to Recovery – Post Povid-19” following which the centre assisted them to reintegrate themselves in the society by setting up businesses for them.
For the 3rd phase of the program in February 2022, JUC selected another group of 60 beneficiaries from the same slums of Nyabisindu, Nyagatovu and Cyahafi who were placed at Umushumba Mwiza/Le Bon Pasteur TVET in Umushumba mwiza village and CEFOTRAT TVET in Cyahafi to be taken through vocational training in baking, tailoring and hairdressing.
At CEFOTRAT TVET, Mr. Pierre found both the tailoring group and the hairdressing group busy at their craft learning and interacting with their teachers and each other. He noticed with gratification that the groups have advanced well in their respective areas of training and are cheerful about the skills they have gained. After chatting to them and gathering that they are becoming quite skilled and express gratitude, he asked them what they most looked forward to in their coming internship periods.
The following is what some of them shared with him;
Mrs Janviere Mukamwezi, 2nd from left
“We are looking forward to interacting with clients and actually start working for money. We will learn new hairstyles. We know the basics and we will use them to grown in the industry”~ Mrs. Janviere Mukamwezi, hairdressing.
“Our teacher is wonderful. As we get ready for internship, I have to say she is the most patient teacher. She knows how work with fast as well as slow learners. She connects with us all on a personal level and makes sure we all gain necessary skills. We are mostly confident about this next chapter of our lives” ~ Mrs. Claudine Byukusenge, tailoring.
“Before I was selected for this program I had finished high school and failing to find an occupation that would provide income to take care of my family. I can now sew shirts, skirts, trousers, dresses and much more. After internship, I will take care of my mother and siblings. She will be so proud of me” ~ Mr. Honore Ishimwe, tailoring.
Hairdressing group
The groups have a month left before they complete their training which will be followed by attachment and a business management course. After this the groups will be set up with Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILCs) and then JUC will assist to set their businesses up.
At the completion of this, the centre hopes to select another group of beneficiaries to take through training as this project has proved to be life-saving for vulnerable families.
Henriette Mushimiyimana
JUC Communication Officer
